Iranian Citizen Charged With Sanctions Violations, Illegal Exports

The U.S. extradited an Iranian citizen from Georgia to face charges related to sanctions violations, money laundering and illegal exports to Iran, the Justice Department said in a March 17 press release. Merdad Ansari allegedly violated the Iranian Transactions Regulations by attempting to tranship cargo to Iran using his company, Dubai-based Gulf Gate Sea Cargo L.L.C. Ansari worked with co-defendant Mehrdad Foomanie between 2007 and 2011 to obtain more than 100,000 parts from companies across the globe valued at more than $2.5 million for more than 1,250 transactions, including nearly 600 transactions with U.S. companies. The scheme involved buying parts from those companies without informing the sellers they would be shipped to Iran, the Justice Department said. Both Ansari and Foomanie face a maximum 20-year prison sentence for conspiracy to violate the ITR, a 20-year prison sentence for conspiracy to launder money and five years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud.